President Donald Trump speaks from hospital saying he expects to ‘be back soon’

President Donald Trump said he’s starting to feel better and that he expects to "be back soon," in a video appearance on Twitter Saturday evening.

"I came here, wasn’t feeling so well. I feel much better now," he said from a U.S. military hospital near Washington. "I look forward to finishing up the campaign the way it was started."

Chris Christie, the former New Jersey governor who helped Trump prepare for Tuesday’s presidential debate with Joe Biden, also entered a hospital because he contracted COVID-19.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said he had a call with Trump and that he "sounds well." They talked about handling the pandemic, confirming the Supreme Court nominee and strengthening the economy. McConnell said earlier that the fast-track schedule for confirming Judge Amy Coney Barrett won’t be affected by the Covid-19 diagnoses of Trump and three Republican senators.

First Lady Melania Trump is "doing well" and her symptoms have not worsened, her office said in a statement. She continues to rest and remains in touch with her husband.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence, who was also been tested for COVID-19, has returned a negative result again.. He will host a campaign event in Peoria, Arizona next Thursday, according to the Trump Campaign.

While Donald Trump Jr., the president’s oldest child, has also said he tested negative for the virus and would get tested again in a few days as a precaution.

The US President’s positive video update comes as the White House commented on his condition, saying he has gone through a “very concerning” period and the next 48 hours “will be critical” in his coronavirus battle, the White House has said.

The comments by the White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Saturday contradicted the rosy assessment of Trump’s condition offered by his staff and doctors.

“We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,” said a weary Meadows.

The doctors treating the president had earlier updated the public at a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Centre.

At the briefing, Navy Commander Dr. Sean Conley repeatedly refused to say whether the president ever needed supplemental oxygen, and declined to discuss exactly when he fell ill. Conley also revealed that Trump began exhibiting “clinical indications” of COVID-19 on Thursday afternoon, earlier than previously known.

“Thursday no oxygen. None at this moment. And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Conley said.

But according to a source, Trump was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was transported to the military hospital.

Conley said Trump’s symptoms, including a cough and nasal congestion, “are now resolving and improving,” and said the president had been fever-free for 24 hours. But Trump also is taking aspirin, which lowers body temperature and could mask or mitigate that symptom.

“He’s in exceptionally good spirits,” said another doctor, Sean Dooley.

Trump is 74 years old and clinically obese, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has infected more than 7 million people nationwide and killed more than 200,000 people in the US

White House officials had insisted Friday that Trump had only “mild symptoms” as they tried to project an image of normality.

“President Trump remains in good spirts, has mild symptoms and has been working throughout the day,” said press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. She said Trump had only been sent to Walter Reed as a precaution.

In a memo released late Friday, Conley did report that Trump had been treated at the hospital with remdesivir, an antiviral medication, after taking another experimental drug at the White House.

Conley declined to say when Trump had last been tested before he was confirmed to have COVID-19 late Thursday. He initially suggested that Trump was 72 hours into the diagnosis - which would mean that he was confirmed infected Wednesday. Conley later clarified that Trump was administered an accurate test for the virus on Thursday afternoon, after White House aide Hope Hicks was confirmed to be positive and Trump exhibited unspecified “clinical indications” of the virus.

The White House said Trump was expected to stay at the hospital for “a few days“ and would continue to work from the hospital’s presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to keep up his official duties.